University of Hawaii celebrates fall 2009 commencement

HONOLULU – The University of Hawaiʻi is pleased to announce that over 2,000 candidates will be receiving their undergraduate and advanced degrees from UH Mānoa, UH West Oʻahu and UH Hilo during the fall 2009 commencement ceremonies.

UH West Oʻahu is pleased to be graduating its first recipients of a bachelor of education (B.Ed.) degree in elementary education. This B.Ed program prepares highly qualified K-6 teachers for Hawaiʻi’s workforce with a particular emphasis on meeting the needs of schools in Leeward Oʻahu. While some graduates will pursue teaching positions on the Leeward side and Waianae coast with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, others will work toward a master’s degree from UH Manoa. Since implementation in fall 2007, the program has grown to 157 elementary education majors and a staff of eight professional teacher educators.

UH Hilo is proud to be graduating one of its youngest students to earn a four-year degree. Student speaker Gladys Tong Hoi Yee, 18, will be awarded a bachelor of arts in business administration during the fall ceremony. She was schooled in her native Singapore, Hong Kong and Mainland China before enrolling at UH Hilo where she completed her degree in two-and-a half years.

UH Mānoa will be awarding the Regents’ Medal of Distinction to the late William Kwai Fong Yap, who is know as the founder of the university due to his efforts to elevate it from a college to the university level. A respected education advocate, businessperson and civic leader, Yap’s contributions to UH Mānoa continue through his family.